BCE/Bell Aliant choices

Article Excerpt

BCE INC. $48.88 (Toronto symbol BCE; Shares outstanding: 777.3 million; Market cap: $38.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 5.1%; www.bce.ca) has agreed to pay $3.95 billion in cash and stock for the 56% of BELL ALIANT $30.88 (Toronto symbol BA; Shares outstanding: 227.8 million; Market cap: $7.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 6.2%; www.bellaliant.ca) that it doesn’t already own. The deal should close by November 30, 2014. Merging the two firms will make it easier for BCE to expand its high-speed wireless and Fibe TV networks in Atlantic Canada. Bell Aliant shareholders will have three options when they tender their shares: $31.00 in cash; 0.6371 of a BCE share (worth $31.14 at today’s price for BCE); or $7.75 in cash plus 0.4778 of a BCE share ($31.10). Investors can defer capital gains taxes on the BCE shares they receive until they sell. We recommend Bell Aliant shareholders take the all-stock option. That way, you can defer capital…